4 students attacked in BJP protest against objectionable graffiti on PM Modi at SPPU hostel

Despite the deployment of over 75 police officials and guards, the four students, two of whom were women, were surrounded by a mob and beaten. A security guard, who tried to diffuse the situation, was also attacked.

Following the brawl, the four injured students who were identified to be of the New Socialist Alternative group, were detained by police and taken to the Chaturshringi Police Station. They were released in the evening.

Before the violence broke out, president of BJP’s Pune city unit Dheeraj Ghate told The Indian Express, “These students…and other groups who are not even enrolled in the university come to the campus and brainwash students into taking the wrong path.” He named four students, out of whom one was Shravani Buwa, a female student who was attacked minutes later.

Buwa, a member of the New Socialist Alternative, was among those detained. When approached, she told Express that she and three others were conducting a registration drive for the group at the university refectory when they were attacked.

“As we were leaving, we had some flags and bags in our hands when some people who had BJP-flags around their necks attacked us at the refectory (200 metres away from the main building where the protest was underway). They snatched our flags and phones, threw a bicycle at us and then started hitting us. They continuously made casteist slurs while kicking and attacking us,” said Buwa.

She added, “We got up from there and were heading towards the police while raising slogans of ‘Jai Bheem’. That is when a big crowd of protesters surrounded and attacked us again. We intend to register an FIR with the police.”

State spokesperson of the BJP Pradip Gavade said, “We were protesting peacefully but some members of the Left organisation suddenly came and started abusing and creating a ruckus… If four people enter our protest and abuse PM Modi or us, there will be some consequences. But they were the ones who started the violence, not us.”

Meanwhile, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has denied participation in the BJP-led protest. Shubhankar Bachal, central committee member of ABVP, said, “Today’s protest was led by the BJP unit, not ABVP. We were not involved in what happened today.”

The incident comes two days after violence broke out between BJP-affiliated ABVP and CPI(M)-affiliated SFI on November 1, when the latter was conducting a registration drive. At least five students were injured and both groups filed FIRs against each other.

On November 2, several student groups, including Indian National Congress-affiliated NSUI, SFI, Nationalist Congress Party-affiliated Nationalist Students Congress, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Yuva Kranti Dal held a mass protest against “tyranny of ABVP on campus”.

Meanwhile, the university administration has released a circular condemning the graffiti that was found in one of the student hostels and announced “strict action against all those who pollute the academic environment of the university in any way”.

The circular stated, “In view of what has been happening in the university over the last few days, security measures in the university are being increased and necessary biometric systems are being implemented at all the entrances.”

Entry will now be done through inquiry and registration at the main gate of the university and only resident students will be allowed entry into the hostels through biometric verification, said the circular.